Canada made history when astronaut Jeremy Hansen became the first Canadian to travel to the moon's vicinity as part of NASA's Artemis II mission — and now the space agency is already plotting its next giant leap. NASA says it intends to land humans on the lunar surface by 2028, but experts say there are significant hurdles standing between that ambition and reality.
What Artemis II Actually Accomplished
Artemis II was a landmark mission — a crewed flyby that sent astronauts around the moon without landing. Hansen, a Royal Canadian Air Force colonel from London, Ontario, became a national hero and the face of Canada's growing role in deep-space exploration. The mission proved the Orion capsule and Space Launch System rocket can safely carry humans on a lunar trajectory, a critical step before any boots touch the lunar surface.
But orbiting the moon and landing on it are two entirely different challenges.
The Road to 2028: What Still Needs to Happen
Before NASA's Artemis III mission can put astronauts on the surface, several major pieces need to fall into place:
SpaceX's Human Landing System: NASA has contracted SpaceX to develop the Starship variant that will ferry astronauts from lunar orbit down to the surface and back. Starship is still in active development and testing, and while progress has been rapid, the vehicle has never carried humans.
Spacesuits: NASA's next-generation lunar spacesuits, being developed by Axiom Space, need to be flight-ready — designed to handle the harsh conditions at the moon's south pole, where Artemis III is planned to land.
Budget and political will: NASA's budget has faced pressure in Washington, and any significant cuts could push timelines further out. The 2028 target depends on sustained funding.
International and commercial partners: Canada's participation through the Canadian Space Agency and the Lunar Gateway — a planned orbital outpost — adds complexity but also distributes the workload.
Canada's Stake in the Moon
Canada has a guaranteed seat on a future Artemis mission as part of its contribution to the Lunar Gateway, a small space station that will orbit the moon and serve as a staging point for surface missions. The Canadian Space Agency is supplying Canadarm3, a next-generation robotic system for the Gateway.
Hansen's Artemis II flight raised the profile of Canada's space program dramatically, sparking renewed public interest in STEM careers and space science across the country.
Realistic or Wishful Thinking?
Space policy analysts are cautiously optimistic but not betting the house on 2028. NASA originally targeted a 2024 landing before delays pushed it back. The current 2028 goal is considered achievable — but tight. Any significant technical setback with Starship, the spacesuits, or NASA's budget could slip the timeline into the early 2030s.
What's clear is that the era of humans returning to the moon is no longer science fiction. After more than 50 years since Apollo 17, the question is no longer if — it's when.
For Canadians, watching Jeremy Hansen orbit the moon was a reminder that this country has earned its seat at the table for humanity's next chapter in space.
Source: CBC News
